"Simons, who had been a Cabinet office minister, previously ran the thinktank Labour Together. He quit on Saturday, saying his position in office had become a distraction from this government's important work. The Makerfield MP had faced mounting pressure over his role in Labour Together's commissioning of the lobbying and public affairs agency APCO to investigate journalists reporting on the thinktank's failure to disclose political donations."
"After the Sunday Times reported that APCO's report made baseless allegations about its journalist Gabriel Pogrund's faith, upbringing and personal and professional relationships, Simons said he was surprised and shocked to read the report extended beyond the contract by including unnecessary information on Pogrund."
"On Friday the Guardian revealed that Simons and his chief of staff had emailed the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) after the APCO report, naming Pogrund and his Sunday Times colleague Harry Yorke and suggesting their story could be linked to a Russian disinformation campaign."
Josh Simons, a Labour Cabinet office minister and former head of thinktank Labour Together, resigned following revelations that he falsely connected journalists to pro-Kremlin networks in communications with GCHQ. Simons had commissioned APCO, a lobbying firm, to investigate journalists reporting on Labour Together's failure to disclose political donations. After the Sunday Times exposed that APCO's report contained baseless allegations about journalist Gabriel Pogrund, Simons claimed surprise at the report's scope. However, the Guardian revealed that Simons and his chief of staff subsequently emailed the National Cyber Security Centre, naming Pogrund and colleague Harry Yorke and suggesting their reporting could link to Russian disinformation. An independent investigation found no ministerial code breach but concluded his continued presence created reputational damage.
#ministerial-resignation #journalistic-investigation #political-accountability #disinformation-allegations
Read at www.theguardian.com
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